Terrebonne Genealogical Society

TGS Newsletter
Vol. 21 No. 8 October 2001

Visit our home page at http://www.rootsweb.com/~laterreb/tgs.htm
E-mail: edhicks@mobiletel.com                 Phone: (504) 532-3586

Membership and/or address changes:
Please send by mail to TGS, Station 2 Box 295, Houma, LA 70360-0295

NEXT MEETING Saturday, October 27, 2001
North Branch Library, Gray, LA 1:00 p.m.
 
     At our September meeting our esteemed guest speaker, Ethel “Toonie” Daigle, gave a most enthusiastic presentation which reflected her years as a teacher. She gave a well-prepared and lively description of  her research, stressing that she started off knowing nothing about where to find anything, but through much help from experienced genealogists, friends, and family, and much perseverance on her part, she succeeded in writing her four family books.  She also described her unique book-signing parties. More dignified than the ordinary book-signing that we see at book stores, her parties are designed to honor her ancestors covered in the book, as well as celebrate with others who descend from them. Thank you, Toonie, for a very interesting time, and also for the book you donated to the society to become part of our genealogical collection at Terrebonne Parish Library!
     At the October meeting we will be taking suggestions for future purchases for the genealogy section of Terrebonne Parish Library. The society is planning to donate some materials, so if you have noticed a category or a book or series of books or microfilm that is lacking in the library, please be prepared to add it to our list. If you can’t make the meeting, you may make your suggestion by mail (snail or electronic). Please make sure that we don’t already own it.
 
     Don’t forget the Beginner’s Workshop at 9:00 a.m. on the day of the October meeting (Saturday, October 27). It is being sponsored by the Terrebonne Parish Library and the presenters will be our own Audrey Westerman, Nancy Wright, Phil Chauvin Jr., Louis Duet, Patty Gravois and yours truly. Audrey will talk about ethnic research, Nancy and Phil will cover research in courthouses, Louis Duet and Patty Gravois will collaborate in explaining how to get started in genealogy, and I will get you started using technology. Handouts will include family group sheets and ancestry charts. I’m sure that everyone who reads this has already gotten a good start on the road to their family history, but if you know someone who has expressed an interest in starting, there is still room. It is free and open to the public, but we recommend that you sign up at the North Branch Library Circulation Desk so that we will be expecting you. There will be refreshments, and you know how tough it is to buy cookies for 15 people and 50 show up (or the other way around). Something else you can do is ask around for “goodies” to put in a “ditty bag” for the participants. Maybe your wife or husband has a business and they want to get their message out to as many people as possible. Do yourself a favor. Call me at (985) 532-3586 and I will come pick up whatever you have — pencils, refrigerator magnets, paper pads, or even plastic bags.

QUARTERLY COLLATING
     We will be meeting at the North Branch Library on Thursday, October 25, 2001, at 12:00 noon to collate the quarterly. Please make an effort to attend. We need you; we can’t do it without you!
 
DEATHS
     We sympathize with member Minus Blanchard, husband of charter member Pat Blanchard, who lost his mother Hilda Dumont Blanchard on Saturday, 6 October 2001. She is survived by two other sons, Terry Blanchard and wife Flora (Flo) Blanchard, and Mannuel Blanchard Sr. and wife Karen; three daughters, Martha Blanchard Savoie, Mrs. Raymond (Hazel Blanchard) Acosta Sr., and Mrs. Steve (Hilda Blanchard) Didier; two brothers, Luby Dumont, and Harry Dumont and wife, Anna Lee Dumont; two sisters, Mrs. Charles (Eula) Monroe, and Mrs. Anthony (Lena) Trahan; 21 grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Preston Blanchard; her parents, Michel Dumont and Marie DuBois Dumont; one daughter, Evelyn Blanchard and one grandson, Raymond Acosta Jr. She was a homemaker and member of the V.F.W. Ladies Auxiliary Unit No. 380, member of Knights of Columbus Auxiliary Unit No. 6170 at St. Gregory, and a member of the Catholic Daughters of America, as well as a parishioner of St. Gregory Barbarigo Catholic Church.
     We will all miss Lifetime member Leola Cinquemani who died Friday, 5 October 2001. She is survived by two brothers, Alvin and Ishmael Guidry; and  one sister, Dorothy Bonnette. She was preceded in death by her first husband, Leo Cinquemani; her second husband, Phil Cinquemani; her parents, Isaac and Blanche Guidry; one brother, Aaron Guidry; and one sister, Beatrice Townsend.
 
MEMBERS
     We heard from charter member Wilma B. Boudreaux with news about her granddaughter, Johnna Detillier Le of Mathews, LA. In December she will graduate from Nicholls School of Nursing as an R.N. She is even on the Dean’s List. Congratulations, Johnna.
     Johnna’s oldest son, Jai, joined the Marines, leaving home Sunday, September 9. His cousin, Darren Autin, also joined and left Sunday, September 24. They are in San Diego, CA. Wilma says she is very proud of them. Her address is Wilma B. Boudreaux, Maison De Ville Nursing Home, 107 South Hollywood Rd., Houma, LA 70360-2714. She would love to hear from you, I’m sure.
     Dorotha Horvath sends her best wishes to all our members, and looks forward to seeing everyone at the December social meeting. She was the driving force behind the Beginner’s Workshop last year, so she had some good advice for us, this year.
Nancy Wright has the original of the marriage record of Rose YOST, of New Orleans, and Louis J. BOUDREAUX, of Houma. They were married 21 December 1913 at St. Henry’s Church in New Orleans. Witnesses were Mrs. Noll (?) MELANCON, Jules MELANCON and Mrs. Sidney FABREGAS. It was purchased at a flea market in Washington State. If anyone is interested, you can write Nancy at the society address. Nancy didn’t say how SHE came into possession of this original record, but she showed it to us. It is O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-LD.
 
CONTINUUM
     We received the following from our sister organization, Lafourche Heritage Society, Inc., in response to  articles we ran in the July and August newsletters:
 
     “Dear TGS members, I would like to clarify the Lafourche Parish Courthouse Records project underway at the Nicholls State Archives. This project was created by an agreement of the Lafourche Heritage Society, the Lafourche Clerk of Court, and Nicholls State University. The project agreement was to transfer old and fragile documents from the old jail in Thibodaux to the Archives at Nicholls State University. The main focus of this project is to catalog all of those records that have been transferred and enter this data into a computer database. When the database is complete, it will be of use to many researchers with interest in the Lafourche Parish area. The project began with Spanish and French documents as early as 1790 and has systematically worked its way toward records from the early 1900's. Another focus of this project will be to preserve the more fragile records, some of which are more than 150 years old. The volunteer effort to catalog and record these records began in 1995 with Ms. Marjorie Landry and was later joined by Ms. Goldie Legendre. These two volunteers have volunteered many hours over the last few years. They both volunteer their time twice a week, working on the Courthouse records project and assisting researchers. Other volunteers who have helped with this project are: Dr. Philip Uzee, Dianne Frost, Patricia Soignet and more recently Nancy Wright. We would like to thank all of our volunteers for all of their dedicated service. If anyone has any questions about this project or about volunteering, please contact the Lafourche Heritage Society. Sincerely, Clifton Theriot President, LHS”
     I certainly hope this clears up any misunderstanding that anyone might have had. To contact the society, write to Lafourche Heritage Society, P. O. Box 913, Thibodaux, LA 70302-0913.
 
BOOK SALE
     In case you have forgotten, we have a great book sale going on. Do your Christmas shopping with us. Or maybe drop a hint for your spouse or other loved ones who may be looking for suggestions. Leave this where they can see it. Perhaps you could underline this paragraph. In Red!
     Remember what we wrote last month? “If you joined our organization in the nineties, you probably have some or all of the quarterlies from Volume 9 (1990) to the present Volume 20 (2001) but if you do have some missing, you will be interested to know that  Volumes 9 through 15 are going on sale. These are the bound (soft covers) copies of all four issues in one volume for each year. Our 20-year index is coming out next year in digital form, and the surname indexes of these volumes will be searchable with your computer. No more looking in the back of each issue for your surnames of interest. Sale price is $20 each, and this price will be good through December 31, 2001 or until we are all sold out, whichever is sooner. Remember, that’s only the years 1990 through 1996 (Volumes 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15).” (We pride ourselves in printing over 300 pages in each of our volumes.)
     “Also on sale is the hard cover edition of the Completely Annotated 1840 Census of Terrebonne Parish for $10. It’s not a big book because the population of the parish was rather limited, but each name is an important one. And the annotations are valuable for background and leads.”
 
SEMINAR
     The Genealogical Societies of Metropolitan New Orleans will host their second Genealogical Research Seminar on Saturday, November 10, 2001 at Tulane University in Jones Hall, 6801 Freret Street, New Orleans. The Seminar is made possible by the consortium of genealogy societies in the four parishes of Jefferson, Orleans, St. Bernard and St. Tammany.
The theme of the Seminar is "German Genealogical Research" and it features four lectures specifically on German immigrants.  Time for individual questions and assistance will follow the fourth session. World-renowned German-American Genealogist Larry O. Jensen, will be the featured lecturer.  Wilbert E. "Bill" Meneray, Ph.D., an icon of Louisiana History, our host at Tulane University, will deliver a  lecture pertinent to anyone who has German ancestors in the New Orleans area.  The all-day Seminar will be held in Jones Hall on the Tulane University Campus.
     Participants in the Seminar will be able to personally explore the Rare Books and Manuscripts Collections and the Louisiana Collection-one of the more extensive genealogical and historical collections in the New Orleans Metropolitan area. An extensive collection of German and general genealogical research books and CD-ROMS will be available from national and local booksellers. Each participant will receive a packet containing additional information on German research.
     A German-style lunch will be served.  Seating is limited so please register early. The Seminar charges, including lunch, is $40.00 per person.  Checks may be mailed to: JGS/Seminar, P. O. Box 961, Metairie, LA  70004-0961. Ask for a brochure; it answers questions like “Where do I park?” “What’s on the program?” and, more importantly, “What’s on the menu?”
 
IMPORTANT NOTICES
     Just because they are last doesn’t mean they are not important.
          1. You may already be aware of this, but in case you are not, we only have eleven (11) monthly meetings. You reply “What happened to the twelfth one?” and I say “Look at the calendar.” We have our meetings on the last Saturday of the month, normally, right? And the last Saturday of November usually falls right in there after Thanksgiving, right? So who wants to be going to a meeting on that weekend? Nobody, that’s who. So the November-December meeting is combined into one big social meeting on the second Saturday of December. OK? Got it straight? If not, ask at the next meeting and we will go over it again. Watch your newsletter and don’t take anything for granted. (Good advice.)
          2. We have started collecting dues for the year 2002-2003, so if you are an eager beaver and don’t like to let things slide, send it in. Send $25.00 for an Individual membership, $30.00 for a family, $30.00 for a contributing membership, and $22.00 for libraries.
 

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